The invention relates to dispensing individual sheets from a package, and to dispensing individual oil absorbing polymeric sheets from a package.
Oil continuously forms on the face of an individual, particularly the nose, cheek, forehead and chin. A variety of products have been developed to remove skin oil (i.e., sebum) from the face. Dry methods of removing these facial oils include the use of oil absorbent wipes.
The wipes are often nonwoven webs that are thin, conformable and non-abrasive. Paper type wipes have also been used to remove facial oil. These paper type wipes often include natural or synthetic papers using vegetable fibers, synthetic pulp or kenaf. These oil absorbent papers are generally irritating to the skin due to the hard and stiff nature of the fibers. Other oil absorbent wiping products are available in the form of thin polymeric sheets.
Thin sheets, e.g., paper, are often packaged in the form of a stack. Removing a single sheet of a thin, pliable material from a stack of such sheets can be difficult because the sheets tend to stick together or to the support on which they are provided. Polymeric sheets, for example, tend to be difficult to separate due to static attraction between the sheets and the smooth surfaces of the sheets. The edges of a stack of polymeric sheets also may weld together when the stack is cut, e.g., to form an individual smaller stack from a larger stack, which can further inhibit removal. The difficultly in grasping an individual sheet can also result in damage, e.g., marring, creasing, or soiling, to the sheet.
In one aspect, the invention features a package that is capable of repeatedly dispensing individual oil absorbing polymeric sheets from a stack of such sheets.
In other aspects, the invention features a package for dispensing individual oil absorbing polymeric sheets from a stack of the sheets where the package includes a cover flap repeatedly moveable between an open position and a closed position, a pocket, a plurality of oil absorbing polymeric sheets arranged in a stack and positioned in the pocket, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition disposed on the cover flap such that closing the cover flap positions the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for contact with a major surface of the first sheet of the stack of sheets. In one embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is disposed on the cover flap such that pressing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition against the first sheet bonds the first sheet to the cover flap through the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, and moving the cover flap to an open position frees the first sheet from the pocket. In another embodiment, the bottom wall further includes a depressible hinged tab. In other embodiments, the package further includes a rigid insert disposed in the pocket.
In some embodiments, the adhesive composition is in the form of an adhesive tape construction that includes a plurality of pressure-sensitive adhesive layers. In another embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is in the form of an adhesive tape construction that includes a) a plurality of adhesive tape structures that include 1) a backing, 2) a first pressure-sensitive adhesive composition disposed on a first surface of the backing, and 3) a second adhesive composition disposed on a second surface of the backing, and b) a polymeric film disposed between the structures and being removable from at least one of the structures. In one embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition includes an acrylate.
In other embodiments, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is positioned to contact at least a portion of the center of the first sheet. In another embodiment, the package further includes a second pocket.
In one embodiment, the pocket includes a bottom wall and a top wall extending from the bottom wall. In some embodiments, the pocket includes a bottom wall, a top wall generally parallel to the bottom wall, and a side wall disposed between and generally perpendicular to the top wall and the bottom wall. In another embodiment, the pocket includes a bottom wall that defines a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangle, square, triangle, circle, and ellipse.
In another aspect, the invention features a package for dispensing individual sheets from a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack where the package includes a) a cover flap moveable between an open position and a closed position, b) a pocket dimensioned to store a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack, the pocket including a top wall defining an opening through which a major surface of a first sheet of stored stack of sheets is exposed and a bottom wall that includes a depressible hinged tab, and c) a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition disposed on a surface of the cover flap such that closing the cover flap positions the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for contact with the exposed major surface of the first sheet. In one embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is disposed on the cover flap such that pressing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition against the first sheet bonds the first sheet to the cover flap through the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, and moving the cover flap to an open position frees the first sheet from the pocket. In some embodiments, the package further includes a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack. In one embodiment, the package further includes a rigid insert disposed in the pocket.
In some embodiments, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is selected from the group consisting of acrylate-, rubber-, polyurethane- and silicone-based pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is positioned to contact at least a portion of the center of the first sheet.
In other aspects, the invention features a package for dispensing individual sheets from a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack, the package that includes a) a cover flap repeatedly moveable between an open position and a closed position, b) a pocket dimensioned to store a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack, the pocket includes a bottom wall, and a top wall generally parallel to the bottom wall and having a continuous perimeter that defines at least 50% of an opening through which a major surface of a first sheet of a stored stack of sheets is exposed, and c) a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition disposed on a surface of the cover flap such that closing the cover flap positions the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for contact with the exposed major surface of the first sheet. In some embodiments, the bottom wall includes a depressible hinged tab.
In one aspect, the invention features, a package for dispensing individual sheets from a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack, the package including a cover flap repeatedly moveable between an open position and a closed position, a pocket, a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack and positioned in the pocket, a rigid insert, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition disposed on the cover flap such that closing the cover flap positions the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for contact with the exposed major surface of the first sheet.
In some aspects, the invention features a package for dispensing individual sheets from a stack of sheets, the package including a cover flap repeatedly moveable between an open position and a closed position, a pocket suitable for storing a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape construction disposed on the cover flap such that closing the cover flap positions the exposed pressure-sensitive adhesive tape for contact with the exposed major surface of the first sheet, the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape construction including a) a plurality of adhesive tape structures that include a backing, a first pressure-sensitive adhesive composition disposed on a first surface of the backing, and a second adhesive composition disposed on a second surface of the backing, and b) a polymeric film disposed between the structures.
The package is convenient for storing and repeatedly dispensing individual oil absorbing porous polymeric sheets. Once the individual sheet is removed from the pocket in which it is stored, it is easily accessible by the user. The package also allows a sheet to be dispensed without the user touching the sheet prior to its removal from the pocket. The package is suitable for securely storing a single sheet or a number of sheets. The package can be constructed such that the opacity of the sheet to be dispensed is maintained in its original state until removed from the package by the user. The package is also portable and can be dimensioned to fit in small carrying cases including, e.g., shaving kits, duffel bags, backpacks, purses, and cosmetic bags.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof, and from the claims.